Biotechnology Research In UNC System Expands

N.C. State University squealed back.

The campus recently recruited Jorge Piedrahita, an animal cloning expert who was among the first in the nation to clone pigs and cattle while at Texas A&M University.

Piedrahita is attempting to genetically engineer animals -- specifically pigs -- that can mimic human diseases or be used as viable organ donors. Although mice with human characteristics have been cloned, Piedrahita's work focuses on pigs, which are more similar anatomically to humans.

Charles Moreland, vice chancellor for graduate studies and research at N.C. State, said the university is doing well in genomic research, especially considering that it has no medical school.

"The (veterinary) school has a very large program on animal genetics and (Piedrahita) has been brought on to add to that research," Moreland said.

Officials say Piedrahita's recent recruitment is part of a push by the UNC system to advance in biotechnological issues.

Russ Lea, UNC-system vice president for research, said the system needs to be at the cutting edge when it comes to biotechnology. "Biological sciences is on the verge of a huge threshold."

Lea added that the researchers employed at many of the system's campuses are part of various biotechnology programs in the state and across the nation. One specific aspect of connection he cited was the biogrid computer system that links researchers and computers from all over the country.

Lea said a lot of research involved in mapping the human genome takes large amounts of computational power. The biogrid connects researchers with supercomputers capable of processing that much information.

Lea said the UNC system's push for biotechnology provides an economic stimulus to the state as well.

"The bioforma field is an expanding area of jobs in the state," he said. "A point where other industries are laying off workers ... this field is hiring 300 people a year, and most of those jobs are at the molecular level."

Tony Waldrop, UNC-Chapel Hill vice chancellor for research and graduate studies, said the University is not far behind N.C. State. "Overall, we have researchers working in a number of areas," he said.

Moreland also said it is important for research universities to stay on the cutting edge of the biotechnology field because it encompasses the issues of the future -- issues that attract top students.

He said, "If you have these good faculty who are well-funded, students who are looking for good assistantships and good research opportunities are going to come."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.